Salvation
by berrytea1
Summary: A world where being born a certain way is illegal, and is punishable by death. AU Hanatama Family.
1. Chapter 1

We had been hiding for what seemed like forever. Daddy and Papa told me that I'm not allowed to make a lot of noise, because then the bad people might find us.

It's really cold because Daddy and Papa said we weren't allowed to build a fire. They told me that the bad people would be able to find us. Daddy and Papa bundled me up in a lot of blankets, they also gave me their coats to wear. We all bundle ourselves in the blankets, I feel safer when Daddy and Papa are with me. Daddy shivers a lot. I told him he could have his coat back, but he told me no, I needed it more. But I don't feel like I need it more than him. I feel perfectly warm wrapped up in all these blankets with Daddy and Papa bundled up with me.

Papa sometimes leaves at night time. Daddy gets really sad when Papa has to go, and they get all kissy, but that's okay, because that's what you do when you love someone lots, like Daddy and Papa.

When Papa leaves, I give him his coat back and he gives me a kiss. It's cold outside the cave, and dark too. He takes his bag and his old knife that Daddy gave him. It gets really cold after he leaves. Me and Daddy try to stay as warm as possible, but it's still really cold without Papa.

While Papa's gone, Daddy tells me stories. He told me what I was like as a baby. He told me about how him and Papa met. Sometimes we just sit there as he pets my head. During the middle of the night, when Daddy thinks I'm sleeping, Papa comes back. Daddy always looks so happy and relieved. Papa comes back and lays down with us and holds us both real close. Him and Daddy talk for a while. They speak in Papas secret language so I don't really understand them, but Daddy always sounds sad. Sometimes he cries. Sometimes after Daddy falls asleep, I can hear Papa crying too.

Sometimes in the morning, Daddy and Papa are still asleep. They've seemed to be getting more tired everyday. I like to look in Papas bag and see what new things are in there. Lately though, it's just some nuts, but sometimes he brings back old cans of food, one time he even brought back a soggy box of crackers. Papa also brings back meat but he never leaves it in the bag. He also sometimes brings back old toys for me, and pretty things for Daddy.

Papa always wakes up before Daddy. Sometimes he just sits there and watches Daddy sleep. He looks really sad and worried. When he sees me, he gets up and makes us food. He doesn't make very much because we don't have lots of food. They usually give me the most though. I feel bad though, cause Papa tries to give Daddy some of his food, but Daddy always gives it back. I can sometimes hear them whispering to each other. Daddy tells Papa that he's just waisting it on him. This makes Papa really, really sad.

Daddy is getting really thin. Papa is really super worried. He has to help Daddy walk now. Papa doesn't want to leave at nights, but Daddy tells him he has to. Daddy's voice was getting weaker. It was hard for him to tell me stories, until one day it hurt him too bad to talk. I held him real close and told him stories I made up. This made him happy.

One night I was telling Daddy a story, he was trying really hard to smile. I could tell that he really wanted to, but it hurt him too much. Halfway through my story Daddy closed his eyes. I stopped talking. I called his name but he wouldn't answer me. I got really scared. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to cry but Papa told me that big boys don't cry, and I was a big boy. I tried to shake him but he still wouldn't wake up. I needed Papa.

I quickly got up and ran out of the cave. The moon was really bright tonight. It illuminated the white sparkling blanket of snow that was beneath my shoes that were filled with holes. I looked around to see if I could see Papa. I screamed out his name, but he was nowhere around. I started to cry then. I didn't feel like much of a big boy at the moment.

I found Papas footprints in the snow. I would have followed them but I didn't want to leave Daddy. I was really scared now. I kept calling out for Papa. I wished he would hurry up. I was out there for what felt like forever, calling to Papa.

My throat hurt from screaming, and my eyes were all red and puffy. I kept calling though, but now as loudly. I felt tired. I wanted to sleep. My legs were shaking beneath me and before I knew it my face had landed in the cold white snow. My eye lids were really heavy, but I couldn't close them yet. My yells were now whispers. I couldn't take it anymore. My eyes closed and it became dark.

**Short chapter. Will be longer next time. **


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing.

There was nothing left. We would have to leave soon. I was afraid this would happen. I had wanted to wait until the winter season was over. Tino tended to grow very ill during the winter season, and he knew it. It scared me to think that he would just let himself die.

There was no more old deserted food supply stores, they had all been raided. This thought scared me even more. Not only did I have Tino to feed, but Peter as well. Tino has been refusing the extra food I've been giving him. He feels like I'm waisting it on him, and it breaks my heart.

I myself was getting weaker, but I knew that I had to keep going. I had to keep living, for Peter. For Tino. If Tino died I don't know what I would do. I needed him, he was the one thing that was keeping me alive, keeping me going.

It was cold. The snow was hard beneath my feet. The moon was bright tonight. The sky was so clear, the stars were so vivid. Millions of them dotting the night sky. It was like it was mocking me. I had found nothing. This worried me immensely. We would have to move soon, I just hoped that Tino could make it.

I followed my footprints back to the cave. I would have usually covered them, but I traveled further out today than I usually do and I didn't want to get lost. The trees cast shadows in the moonlight as I walked on, back to my Tino with nothing. The forest was silent except for the occasional hoot from owls nearby, and the sound of the snow crunching beneath my feet.

I was almost there. I was so tired, I wanted nothing more that to be in a warm soft bed with a nice roaring fire in the fire place, but I couldn't have those things, not anymore. For now I just wanted to be with Tino and Peter, that was good enough for me.

I quickened my pace. I felt an odd sort of feeling in my stomach. I didn't know if it was because I wanted to get back as quickly as possible, but something felt off. I grew worried. Something wasn't right. I could hear faint whispers. At first I thought they were from the lack of sleep, but they grew louder as I approached the cave. Just before I was about to break through the last bit of trees, it stopped.

Just then I realized what had been making the noise.

Peter was lying face down in the snow. I quickly ran over to him. I dropped to my knees and picked him up. I cradled him in my arms as I dusted the snow off of his face. My heart was beating fast. So many questions ran through my head. Why was he out here? How long? Where was Tino?

I was scared. Something had happened. Tino would have never let Peter come outside by himself. I shook Peter. He didn't wake up. I leaned down and listened to hear if he was still breathing. He was, thank god, but they were short and barely there. I quickly took my thick wool coat off and draped it around him. I quickly stood up again and ran into the cave.

It was dark. I had to wait for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. There was a small hole in the cave wall that let in some light, but not much. I quickly found Tino lying exactly where I left him, but he looked pale. I quickly ran up to him lying Peter gently on one of our wool blankets. I leaned down to hear if he was breathing. I couldn't tell. I was so nervous, I was shaking really badly. I couldn't hold still. I placed my head on his chest and listened to see if his heart was still beating.

It was faint but it was there. I felt like crying. I sat back up and cupped his face with my hands. My hands were cold, but so was he. I gently shook him. I called his name. Still nothing. I shook him again, this time harder. His eyes began to open and I sighed in relief.

"Ber. What happened what's the-" he didn't finish, I had leaned down and held him. I started to cry. That had scared me. I thought I would never see him again. Tino pushed me up so I was facing him. He wiped the tears from my face.

"Why are you crying?" He asked. His voice was hoarse and quiet.

"I thought...I...Peter..." I couldn't speak without choking out my words. I placed my head on his chest and just listened to his heart beat. It was real. He was still here.

"Peter? What happened to Peter?" He sounded almost frantic. I quickly sat up. I quickly picked up Peter from behind me. I held him close, I tried to give him some of my body heat. Tino slowly sat up.

"B-ber. What happened? Why isn't he moving?" I could see the worry in his eyes. I quickly shook my head.

"He isn' dead. I foun' 'im lyin' on the groun' outside. He passed ou' I guess. It scared meh too." I told him. Tino's eyes grew wide.

"'e shou' be fine though." I said. I put him down next to Tino. He quickly wrapped the blankets around him and held him close.

"I thought yoo died..." I said. Tino immediately looked up. I was looking at the ground. My eyes were still a little red from crying. He brought one of the arms that were wrapped around Peter over to hold on to one of my hands. It was quiet for a while. I moved over so I was lying on the other side of Peter. I wrapped my arms around both of them.

"I'm sorry." Tino whispered after I was situated. I pulled him closer to me. I kissed him on the forehead, and told him it was okay, just to never, ever, do that again. All this trauma made me even more tired than I had been before, and the second I closed my eyes, I fell into a deep dreamless sleep.


End file.
